A Really Good Plan
by RJane's Vindication
Summary: Little Joe learns a terrible fate is about to befall his new friend, and it's up to his big brother to save the day! A little bit of humor, a little bit sweet-just a feel-good brothers story that hopefully makes you smile. Please let me know if it does!


**A/N: This short story manifested itself in my mind in various forms, and I couldn't really decide how I wanted it to work. I finally decided to answer a challenge I made to myself and attempt to write in the first person. This is the end result.**

**I find it extremely difficult to write in this style and I struggled with it for some time, but anyway, here it is. I guess I'll just have to let you all be the judge on whether I was successful in my endeavor or not :)**

**I think Hoss and Joe have a wonderful brother relationship-I hope justice was served appropriately in my interpretation.**

**As always, I would absolutely love to hear any and all constructive reviews! Thanks so much for reading-I hope you enjoy!**

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Dadburnit.

It sure seemed like a good plan. But I'm guessin' maybe I don't know a good plan when I see it. I'm kinda new at it. Older brother was the one with all the plans, good ones too. But he's gone away now, off to some fancy school back East. I'm the older brother now. And older brothers gotta have plans.

Ya know, I'm thinkin' maybe it's all Joe's fault. I shoulda never got involved, not from the first moment. But it was like I couldn't say no, especially when he looked up at me with those bright green eyes of his. Adam told me once that the look in Joe's eyes could charm the rattle right off a snake; I didn't know what he meant by that at the time but I sure do now. Yessir, that look he shot me, all pleading and sad, just begging me to help him, caused something to happen to my insides. Suddenly I couldn't think straight and all I wanted to do was make him happy. That's when all this plan stuff started.

It all began that morning that I was out chopping kindling for the cooking fire. I really hate doing it, but being just turned thirteen and what Adam once called 'big-boned' – I think he meant something by that, 'cuz he had a real funny scrunched up look on his face when he said it, but I can't be exactly sure—it usually falls on me. Not that it's too hard, I mean, that bitty axe is so easy to swing, it takes no time at all. Usually only takes me an hour at most, 'specially if little brother is around to help. Joe's still too small to do much—he's only six and he's right puny still—but usually he helps stack the wood if he's around.

But I hadn't seen Joe all day. It's been that way a lot lately. He goes off by himself all the time. He's been sad a lot since Adam went away; he cries at night and has nightmares. When that happens, me and him talk about it and usually he can go back to sleep right quick. Anyway, I'd almost finished chopping the wood when he finally came tearing around from behind the barn, looking like the devil himself was on his heels.

'Hoss, Hoss!'

He skidded to a stop right in front of me, and I couldn't help but smile at the big grin on his face as his eyes were flashing that green fire of theirs. I could tell he was fairly burstin' to tell me something; it sure is nice to see him happy. I mean, I haven't seen him really excited about nothing since Adam went away a month ago.

I nodded my head over at the piles of wood, and Joe finally took the hint and began stackin', all the while staring at me. I know he wanted me to ask what had him so all fired up, but I like to make him stew on it for a minute. His face turns a funny shade of purple and he scrunches his mouth up in an expression that makes me laugh every time. Sure enough, I could see little brother's face crinkle all up and he let out a really loud sigh as he continued stacking the wood. My throat was all tickly from wanting to laugh as Joe's eyes got bigger n' bigger the more he stewed on it.

'Whattcha want ta tell me, Shortshanks?'

I decided to give him a break, so I finally gave in. My question did the trick; suddenly Joe wasn't mad anymore and he got that excited look back in his eyes. Turning from the woodpile, he started talking quickly. And, by golly, I mean quick. I barely could keep up with what he was saying.

'Me and Pa are going over to help Widow Hutchins!' Joe's voice kept getting louder as he kept getting more 'n more excited. 'He said we can take the buggy, and a picnic, and then maybe we can go to town afterwards….ain't that great, Hoss?!'

When he said that, I could feel myself getting kind of mad. After all, I sure do like to go to town, and picnics, well, I really like picnics. And Widow Hutchins is a real nice lady; boy, she can make the best cookies I've ever tasted! Her husband died about six months ago and Pa had been going over regular-like to help out ever since. Me and Adam both took turns going over to help with chores and such; I never minded my turns 'cuz she'd always tell me stories and she'd make me something to eat when I was done. And now Joe was tellin' me that he and Pa were going over there, then on a picnic, then maybe even to town, all the while leaving me here! No sir, it sure didn't seem fair to me, that's a fact.

But then I remembered the talk me and Pa had just had the night before. A real man to man talk, he'd called it. He told me he was worried 'bout Little Joe 'cuz he was so sad all the time. Ever since Adam's been gone, he's just been plain miserable, disappearing all the time. Pa had asked me, bein' the big brother now, if I could watch out for Joe, take good care of him. I realized that maybe Pa and Joe doin' something special together would make Joe happy. It sure would be nice for Joe to be happy. I can't explain it, but the bad feeling started to go away and I gave him my biggest smile.

'By golly, sounds like fun!'

I reached over quick and tickled my little brother right in the ribs, and Joe tried to swat my hand away as he began to giggle. He's so small, though, he ain't no match for me and soon I had him pinned down, tickling him harder, and he started shrieking for me to stop. Soon he was laughing so hard that he started to hiccup, which was even funnier. Then all of a sudden Pa was standing right there, and he was looking at both of us with a funny look on his face. My hand froze and Joe squirmed away as he tried to stop laughing.

'Hello, boys,' his voice was serious but I could tell from that look on his face that he wasn't mad. He turned his eyes to Joe and motioned with his head towards the barn. 'All ready to go, Joseph?'

Joe just nodded and ran over to the barn. Pa watched him, and then he turned to look at me. He smiled that smile that makes me feel all warm inside.

'Son, we'll be back in a while. I know I can trust you to take good care of things until we come back.'

He said it in that way that told me I was doing something good. Suddenly, I couldn't help feelin' right pleased with myself and that bad feeling had gone all away.

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Pa and Joe were gone several hours; it was almost dark when the wagon finally pulled to a stop beside the barn. What a ruckus, let me tell you! Between Joe's excited shouting, Pa's voice trying to calm the horses, and some terrible screeching that I can't even guess what it was, I just had to stop what I was doing and take a peak. Joe found me as I was coming out of the barn, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to the wagon.

'Dad gum, little buddy…what is it?'

He was fairly shaking, his eyes really big. I ain't seen his face so lit up since before Ma died. And that was almost two years ago. Whatever it was he wanted to show me, boy, it sure had gotten him all riled up!

'Look, Hoss, look!' Joe was almost shouting as he pulled me to a stop next to the back of the wagon. Now, Joe's pretty small, but when he wants something, boy if he doesn't find the strength to do it somewhere. I could see Pa shaking his head as I took my first look inside the wagon. 'Widow Hutchins gave 'im to me! Ain't he neat?'

I think it was one of the ugliest faces I have ever come across, but that did little to stop the big smile I felt spreading across my face. I could feel my stomach twitch and I couldn't help laughing; that only made that ugly, angry face in the back of the wagon even angrier. Well wouldn't ya know he just started screeching again something awful, and then that fool turkey done puffed himself all up, his buggy eyes staring right at me. I turned back to look at Joe, and I could just tell he was waitin' on me to say something.

'Yeah…real neat, little buddy,' I mumbled. I hafta admit I wasn't really paying attention to my little brother at that exact moment. Joe turned his excited attention back to that crazy bird as Pa began to unhitch the horses.

'Widow Hutchins sends her thanks for all our help,' Pa told me quietly, nodding his head at that squawking turkey. 'She thought we might enjoy it.'

'Sure thing.' I just nodded my head at my Pa as I just kept my eyes glued on that big ol' bird.

I know I musta had that big grin on my face as I couldn't help but think about the feast we were gonna have. Ain't everyday that we get us a big old turkey dinner! All I could picture was a big ol' turkey with lots of gravy sittin' on our table, just begging to be all eaten up. It was the only thing I could think about as I started helping Pa take the horses into the barn.

Pa had already taken one horse in the barn, and I was right behind him with the other, when I swear I heard my little brother's voice. By gum if Joe wasn't talking to someone, but it surely weren't me. He was talking so soft I could hardly hear 'im, but I just managed to catch his words.

'C'mon, Terry, let's get ya outta that old wagon…'

Now, who in tarnation could he possibly be talkin' to?

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Iffen I'd been a thinkin' that day, boy, I coulda saved myself a whole heap a trouble. But I wasn't and it was exactly three days later that all that trouble caught up to me. Pa had just gone to town to get the mail and I was in the barn mucking stalls, all the while whistlin' as I thought about that feast we were gonna have. Pa had told me before he left that Hop Sing was gonna cook up that old turkey today and we were sure gonna have us a grand dinner tonight!

'Hoss…Hoss…'

I couldn't whistle no more and I suddenly felt right sick in my stomach when I heard that sad voice crying my name. I turned and it was Joe who was standing there, his big green eyes real wide and tears running down his cheeks. He just looked plum miserable. He didn't look like he was hurt none, but I couldn't tell for sure. I dropped the pitchfork and ran over to him, grabbing his arms and hugging him close.

'Punkin…what's wrong?!' My voice wouldn't work right and the words came out sorta funny. It got worse as little brother practically fell into me, his body going all limp as he leaned on me. I felt really cold in my insides as I really started to think there must be something wrong with him. 'What is it, Shortshanks? You 'kay?'

Joe only started to cry harder, he could hardly breathe he was crying so hard. He buried his face in my shirt and I dragged him over to a hay bale so he could sit. I pushed him down and knelt right down in front of him as he kept shaking and gasping. I was really getting scared, now. Something terrible musta happened; I knew I had to get him to tell me.

'Ya hurt?' His tears kept coming as he shook his head in response. It makes me so sad to see him this way. 'Did ya have a bad dream?' He still kept real quiet. I had to get him to talk, I just had to! 'Punkin…you gotta tell me! What's wrong?'

'T-Terry…' Joe finally choked out. His eyes widened again. 'Ya gotta save him, Hoss…'

'Terry?'

I woulda saved myself that heap o' trouble right then and there, but I guess I hadn't figured it all out just yet. I was sorta confused so I looked at Joe kinda strange as I asked my next question.

'Who ya talkin' 'bout, little buddy?'

'Terry…' Joe buried his face in my shirt again, and I rubbed his back to try to get him to calm down. 'My pet. Hop Sing's gonna kill him…'

My hand froze on little brother's back as all of a sudden like I knew who Joe was talking about. The words I'd heard Joe sayin' the other day at the back of the wagon all made some sense now, but I have to admit I was still kinda shocked all the same at what he'd just said. I pushed him away from me just a little bit so I could look him straight in the eyes.

'Ya meanin' that fool turkey Pa got from Widow Hutchins the other day?'

I think Joe musta understood the shock I was feeling, 'cuz he didn't say anything, he only nodded his head slightly, those big green eyes of his filling with tears again. He tried to hide his face again but I wasn't gonna let him, not just yet.

'Joe, you crazy or somethin'?'

I could feel my visions of turkey and gravy sittin' on the table start to fade a might as I just stared at my little brother, hopin' I could get him to understand.

'Ya know he ain't a pet, right?'

He didn't answer my question. I could see him swallow real hard as I waited for him to say something. 'Please, Hoss. Ya gotta.' Joe's voice was kinda wobbly when he finally did say the words and he looked at me again with those big eyes.

His face was so sad, and those eyes. I hate seein' that look in his eyes. He looks like he's lost or somethin', and it makes him look even smaller than he is. It only took a minute for all my grand thoughts on that feast to go flyin' away as he just kept staring at me with those green eyes, tears still running down his face.

'Okay.' I'm still kinda surprised that I even agreed to it in the first place. 'Lemme think a somethin'…'

His eyes widened and he smiled as he gave me a big hug. I like his smile. It makes me all warm, just like when Pa smiles at me.

Yup. Guess I know now what Adam meant. Charm the rattle right off a snake, my little brother does.

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And that's what got me into the mess that I'm in now. Little brother's charm and my plannin'. They both cause a heap a trouble.

I'm kinda proud to admit that the first part of my plan seemed to work out real good. Truth is, it was actually real easy to get ol' Hop Sing away from the ranch for the day, before he could finish off little brother's friend. 'Course, I did feel a little bad about the lie I told him, about Pa wantin' him to meet up with the hands in the south pasture. But all I could see was Joe's sad eyes lookin' up at me and I couldn't stand it, so I just shook off the guilty feeling and kept right on a talkin'.

Hop Sing did get a little suspicious, but after he looked at me and Joe for a few minutes like he was trying to read our minds (I think to see if he could catch us tellin' him a lie), he slowly spun back on his heel and mumbled somethin' about Pa (I think it mighta been something not very nice) as he went back in the house. He came back out after a few minutes and gave us a real mean look; I've seen that look before when he wants to make sure we aren't going to mess up his kitchen while he's gone.

I held my breath until he was gone around the barn, then I looked over at my little brother. Joe's face got all bright again and I felt that warm feeling in my insides coming back as I just knew I was doing the right thing. But there wasn't time to relax just yet.

The next part of the plan worked without a hitch, too. Joe went and got that ugly old bird and put a rope around his neck to lead him. I have to admit I was still kinda sad to see that fine dinner walkin' away. I tried not to think on it too hard as we walked quickly through the woods to Sun Meadow. Joe named it that when he was three years old and the name just always stuck. We were there in no time at all and I could tell Joe was getting' a little sad again at what was gonna happen next.

I could see that look in his eyes again as he just shuffled his feet around, his hand still on the rope around that bird's neck. Terry, for his part, was behavin' himself right well, but I knew every minute we kept sittin' here it was gonna get harder and harder. Finally I sighed a little in frustration and nudged Joe with my arm.

'C'mon, Shortshanks,' I said softly, poking him again with my elbow. 'We gotta get back. Ya gotta say goodbye so we can git home.'

He lifted those sad eyes up at me again, and I couldn't help but feel bad for him all over again. But I also knew that Joe knew that if he didn't do this, there was only one other thing that was gonna happen to his friend. He nodded his head and I could see him swallow real hard as he moved his hand to untie the rope from around the bird's scraggly neck.

'Bye, Terry,' he mumbled as he pushed the bird away. That stupid ol' turkey didn't even move, and I could see the tears in my little brother's eyes as he pushed again, his voice louder this time. 'Go on, git!'

Finally taking the hint, that turkey made a sudden dash for the edge of the woods. My heart felt kinda heavy as I watched that fine dinner escaping into the trees. But when I felt my little brother's hand reach to grab mine, I pulled my eyes away from that bird and looked down at Joe. He gave me a sad smile and blinked his eyes real fast so he wouldn't cry as he held my hand even tighter.

'Thanks, Hoss.'

We were almost home when his next words stopped me flat out. I could tell that that cold feeling was coming back in my stomach as Joe pulled to a stop, looking up at me with his big green eyes.

'What we gonna do now, Hoss?'

I must admit that up to that point I hadn't thought of anything else. I started to feel all sweaty as I realized that the sun was low in the sky, it was gonna be dinner-time soon and Pa would be expecting a huge feast. Hop Sing was gonna come back and boy, he was gonna be mad at the lie I'd told. I swallowed hard and looked back down at my little brother, who suddenly had a very worried look on his face.

'I'll think a somethin'…'

I tried to make it sound like I actually believed it, and I think Joe bought it 'cuz he looked back up at me again and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back, even as I suddenly knew that this was not going to end well at all. So much for a really good plan.

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'What in tarnation is the meaning of this?!'

The floor was real interestin' all of a sudden and I kept my eyes down, afraid of what I might see in my pa's face. I'd kinda hoped he wouldn't notice when I brought that tray out from the kitchen, but I guess that wasn't gonna happen. Ya see, there's really only one thing that I know how to cook, so when we'd gotten back and Hop Sing still wasn't there, I'd just done it real quick. Probably not such a good idea now.

'Hoss Cartwright! I asked you a question! What's the meaning of this?'

'Well, Pa….ya see…' The words seemed to stick in my throat and I just couldn't for the life of me look at Pa.

'We saved 'im, Pa.' Joe's small voice piped up bravely. I looked up quickly at my Pa but he was staring real hard at my little brother, so I dropped my head back down again. 'Hoss helped me save Terry.'

Pa was real quiet for what seemed like ages and I couldn't help peaking up at him again. He had a real funny look on his face as his eyes first looked at Joe, then at me, then at the plate on the table, then back to Joe again. Ya know, iffen I didn't know better I'd a thought he had that smile on his face again.

'Flapjacks, Hoss?' My eyes shot up real quick at the sound of my father's voice, not sounding mad but just kinda confused. 'Really?'

'Well, Pa…I…uh…' He frowned at me, and I took a deep breath. 'It's all I know how ta cook, Pa.'

'Of all the…' Pa's voice almost sounded like he was laughing as he turned his head quickly away. I got scared as I watched his back shake a little. He turned back around and he had a frown on his face, but his voice wasn't mean like when he's mad and his eyes were smiling. 'But what about…'

Pa didn't get to finish what he was sayin' as the door flew open and slammed shut again real hard, and suddenly little brother went flyin' outta the room so fast it was like the house was on fire. I think it wudda been better if it had been.

'Numba two son!'

It sure seemed like a good plan at the time.

Dadburnit.

The End


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